Electric circuit breaker



y 2, 1940- P. E. PARKINSON 2,206,463

ELECTRI C C IRCUIT BREAKER Filed July 24, 1959 I TTORNEY.

Patented July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CIRCUITBREAKER Percy E. Parkinson, Belleville, Mich.

Application July 24, 1939, Serial No. 286,132

3 Claims.

The breakers to which I am referring are intended particularly for usein conjunction with induction coils known as shock coils, that istransformers including a magnetic core and employing a primary circuitof electromotive force and capable of producing high tension secondarycurrents of very short duration. The purpose of my device is to secureintermittent charges of electric current by means of such an inductioncoil. It is intended for use by farmers who keep their cattle inenclosures surrounded by wire fences. When properly connected to asource of electromotive energy and a fence, my device, including a coil,will send along said fence intermittent charges of electricity atintervals which may be selectively controlled. This will serve to deteranimals within the enclosure from trying to break through such fence.Since it is known from practical experience that shocks to be issuedalong the fence are sufilciently frequent even when they come atintervals anywhere from 20 to seconds, I have built my device in such amanner that it is capable of producing these shocks at intervals withinthat range. It will be understood that these intervals may be properlyadjusted without any limitation to the above said periods of time offrequency and that my invention lies in the consructionand relation ofparts, as set forth in the specification. It is my further purpose toprovide a device of this kind which will be of simple construction,reliable in operation and easy to make.

I shall now describe my invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of my device as it is contained in itscasing.

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of my device at the momentwhen the electric circuit therein is closed. 2

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary sectional view of the device showing therelation of parts when the electric circuit is open.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of my device with the cover removed.

Fig. 5 shows a wiring diagram of my device.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several, views.

My device including the induction coil and the circuit breakercooperating therewith, is contained in a casing indicated by numeral l0and provided with a removable cover ll. While this casing may be made ofany substance, the preferred material is a suitable plastic such asBakelite, so that the whole casing with some component parts therein maybe molded and thus produced as a unit. It is this type of a casing thatI am showing in my drawing.

The casing is divided into two compartments indicated by numerals I3 andI4, by a separating wall l2. One of these compartments holds the 5induction coil 15, which is of the conventional design and comprises aniron core l6 and what is known as primary and secondary windings,serving to conduct the primary and secondary current of electricity,respectively. Because of the 10 conventional design of the coil, I amnot showing in the accompanying drawings the details of said windings,although the relation of said windings and connections to the source ofelectric energy are indicated in the diagram in Fig. 5. Com- 15 partmentI3 is filled with a suitable non-conducting material such as wax, inorder to protect the coil from moisture.

On one side the casing I0 is provided with an opening I! to introduceinto the casing wires l8 and I 9, adapted to be connected to a source ofelectric energy, such as a battery, which is not shown in the drawing,said wires aifording a part of the path of the primary circuit of thecoil. Another outlet 20 provides a passage for wires 2| and 22, formingthe terminals of the secondary or induced circuit of said coil. It willbe under stood that all the wires serving to conduct electric currentare suitably insulated.

, Having described the location of the coil with respect to the casingin which it is contained, I shall now describe means devised by me forthe purpose of successively closing and breaking the primary electriccircuit and inducing the secondary high tension current which isintended to be transmitted to the wire fences as above stated. Ineffecting my purpose, I am using what may generally be described aspneumatic means of the kind in which the frequency of the periodicaction is determined by the amount of leakage of air from an airchamber.

It will be seen by reference to my drawing that compartment ll of casing10 contains at the bottom thereof a circular chamber 23 which may forman integral part of said casing when same 45 is molded. The chamber isprovided with an upright annular wall 24, being provided at the to witha head 25. An outlet 26 at the bottom of the chamber communicates withpassage 21 within one of the end walls of the casing, as shown. At thetop, said passage 21 terminates in an outlet 28, providing an avenue ofescape for air contained in chamber 23, while screw valve 29 at the topof passage 21 serves to regulate the amount of air which is allowed toescape through said outlet 26.

Expanding over'the open side of the air chamber 23 is a flexiblediaphragm 30, which may be made of such material as oiled chamoisleather, or some other suitable substance. The edges of the diaphragmmay be tucked under the bead 26 and secured to the outer wall of thechamber by an annular wire clamp 3|, whereupon wax, pitch or otherinsulating material, indicated by numeral 5| may be poured in the spacebetween the outer wall of the chamber and the inner walls of thecompartment 14 'so as to securely seal the edges of said diaphragmagainst any air leaks. This construction, I would like to point out, isvery satisfactory, economical and very easy to effect. Secured to thecentral portion of the diaphragm in order to provide a channel for theintake of airinto said chamber, is a tubular nipple 33 provided at theend with a flange 34. The portion of the diaphragm which abuts the outerwall of the nipple 33 is kept in an air-tight contact therewith, bybeing compressed between said flange 34 and member 35 on the outer sideof said diaphragm. Said member 35 supports a strip of resilient metal 36which carries on its underside a pad 31 adapted to cover in an airtightmanner the outer opening 33a of the nipple 33. A hooklike extension 36of member 35 serves to limit the extent of the movement of strip 36.Afllxed to the upper surface of strip 36, just above the outer opening33a of nipple 83, is a rod 33 connecting said strip with lever 46,fulcrumed on pin 4|, the latter being disposed transversely and suitablysupported in the casing. One arm of said lever, specifically the onetowhich rod 39 is pivotally connected, is at its end provided with aweight 42. The end of the opposite arm of said lever forms a contactpoint 43 by means of which electric circuit intended to pass through therespective windings of coil 15 may be closed. The complementary oropposite point, serving to close the circuit, is indicated by numeral 44and is supported at the end of iron armature 45, hinged to bracket 46,just above the end of core I6. 0n magnetization of said core, saidarmature will be attracted thereto. It may be remarked at this pointthat the contact point 44 ought to be made preferably broad, as itspurpose is not only to serve as a connecting link in the path ofelectric current but also as a hammer by means of which lever 40 may beactuated as described below.

To complete the description of the parts enter= ing into my device, Iwish to say that numeral 41 indicates a screw by which bracket 46 may besecured to the insulating substance within compartment [3 of the casing.Numeral 48 indicates a spring connected to wire I8a, forming a part ofthe path of the primary circuit. The purpose of the spring is to keepthe contact points 43 and 44 normally apart, thus causing the primaryelectric circuit to be normally open. Numeral 49 shows a member mountedon bracket 46, the purpose of same being to limit the extent of themovement of armature 45. IN) indicates a flexible wire also forming apart of the path of the primary circuit.

I shall now describe the operation of the device by referring to Fig. 3of my drawing, which shows the relation of movable parts at the momentwhen the air chamber 23 contains so much air that the diaphragm 30 is ina raised or inflated position, the apex of the diaphragm being above thelevel of the upper edges of the chamber. The current of the primarycircuit is supplied from a source of electromotive energy, such as abattery, to the coil by means of wire I6, along the flexible wire unitI6b, along the shorter arm of lever 40 to point 43, thence through point44, when points 43 and 44 are in contact, along the armature 45 to thespring 48 and thence along the conductor l6u. into the coil l6. From thecoil the current is returned to the source of electromotive energy bywire I 9. It will be noticed that in Fig. 3 the points 43 and 44 are setapart and that because of that the primary circuit is open.

Actuated by weight 42, lever 46 swings downward transmitting themovement by means of rod 39 to member 36. Under the pressure of said rod39, member 36 equipped with pad 31 closed the outlet of nipple 33.Simultaneously the diaphragm, actuated by the same rod 33, is forcedinward into the air chamber and expels therefrom air which leaks outthrough channel 21 and outlet 26. Owing to the retarded passage ofoutlet 26, the movement of the diaphragm from its inflated position asshown in Fig. 3 to a deflated position as shown in Fig. 2, occupies acertain space of time. When, actuated by said weight 42, lever 40 hasswung sufliciently downward, point 43 placed on said lever gets incontact with point 44, closing the circuit of the primary current. Thisserves to magnetize core l6, which attracts armature 45. The sudden jerkof the armature to the core causes point 44 to act as a hammer, causingsaid point 44 to thrust point 43 sharply downward. Simultaneously, theopposite arm of lever 46, carrying weight 42, is made to fly upward,thus causing the contact between points 43 and 44 to be broken. In itsupward movement, lever 40 acts upon member 36 by means of rod 39,raising said member 36 above opening of nipple 33 and raising thediaphragm into a position shown in Fig. 3. While the diaphragm is thusbeing raised, air is allowed to flow into the chamber 23. Immediately,however, on reaching the limit of its movement, lever 40 actuated byweight 42 begins its downward swing, causing the opening 33a to beclosed by means of strip 36 and pad 3'! and forcing the diaphragmdownward, as above said, thus repeating the cycle. It is hardlynecessary to add here that when the primary circuit is closed by contact of points 43 and 44, and when said circuit is broken on separationof said points, secondary currents are created in the secondary circuitand that these are conducted by means of wires 2l and 22 along the wirefence, to which my device may be attached. Specifically, I wish to saythat one of said wires, and it does not matter which, is to be groundedand that the other is to be attached to the fence. In compliance withthe best practice in building such coils, a condenser of conventionaldesign may be shunted across said contact points. This is shown in thediagram by numeral 50.

It will be seen from the above that the momentary closing of the circuitmay be effected periodically and that intervals of time between oneclosing and another may be regulated by the amount of air which is,allowed to escape from said air chamber through outlet 26. If theoutlet is made smaller, then the period of time necessary to bring thediaphragm into a deflated position when the contact occurs may belonger. If it is desirable to make these contacts more frequent, thismay be accomplished by allowing more air to escape from said chamber.This 7 may be accomplished by adjusting the screw valve 28.

It is obvious that changes in the construction 01' my device and in therelation 01' parts shown by me may be introduced without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is as follows:

1. A circuit breaker for an electric coil equipped with a magnetizablecore comprising a movable armature spaced from the core but responsiveto the magnetic pull thereof, a contact carried by said armature, acasing defining an air chamber provided with an adjustable outlet forretarded escape of air from the chamber, diaphragm pump means to 1111the chamber with air to expand the diaphragm into an inflated position,weight means to force the diaphragm into the chamber against resistanceof air through said retarded outlet to a deflated position, and a lever,a contact carried by said lever for cooperating with the contact carriedby said armature, said lever being reponsive to the movement of thediaphragm and being adapted to close the breaker when the diaphragm isin a deflated position, and to raise the diaphragm into an inflatedposition and to open the breaker.

2. In a structure of the character described, an electric coil equippedwith a magnetizable core, an armature normally spaced from the core ofsaid coil and responsive to magnetic pull thereof, a contact carried bysaid armature, a lever pivotally mounted with one end extending undersaid armature and provided with a contact for engaging the contact ofthe armature, a weight for tilting said lever to a position disposingits contact in engagement with the contact of said armature, a casingdefining an air chamber provided with an air passage leading therefrom,adjustable means for controlling flow air through the air passage, adiaphragm associated with said air chamber, a nipple carried by saiddiaphragm, a closure movable into and out oi closing relation to theouter end of said nipple, and means connecting said closure with saidlever moving the closure into and out of a closed position and actuatingthe diaphragm'for pumping air into and out of the air chamber inresponse to movements of the lever.

3. In a structure of the character described, an electric coil equippedwith a magnetizable core, an armature normally spaced from the core ofsaid coil and responsive to magnetic pull thereof, a contact carried bysaid armature, a lever pivotallymounted with one end extendingunder saidarmature and provided with a contact for engaging the contact of thearmature, aweight for tilting said lever to a position disposing itscontact in engagement with the contact of said armature, a casingdefining an air chamber provided with an air passage leading therefrom,adjustable means for controlling flow of air through the air passage, adiaphragm associated with said air chamber, a tubular nipple securedthrough said diaphragm, a support extending laterally from said nippleoutside the diaphragm, a resilient valve strip carried by said supportand extending across the outer end of the nipple and normally spacedtherefrom in an opened position, a pad carried by the valve strip forsealing the outer end of the nipple when the strip is in a closedposition, means carried by said support for limitingmovement of thevalve strip away from

